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Floradise

A lifestyle blog by Marette Flora

Christmas at the Flora House

This has been a special Christmas for us: It was the first in our new house, and it was Addi’s first! V had some new traditions, too.

Our Christmas recap:

I love our tree this year despite never finding a tree topper after ours broke. I plan to also purchase a new tree skirt next year.

We chose to stay in Chicago for Christmas this year vs. traveling to Arizona or Kentucky. We wanted to continue our own tradition of having Christmas morning breakfast and then opening gifts together. Our tree had lots of gifts that were sent to us by our family members, and we let the girls open a couple of them on Christmas Eve and the rest on Christmas Day.

The weekend before Christmas we had a mini Cookie Day, a tradition for the Flora family in Kentucky. We missed it this year because traveling to Louisville was challenging for us over Thanksgiving and we weren’t sure we could do it twice in month. Graham’s parents drove to Chicago to visit for the weekend, which was so nice. We exchanged gifts (They gave us a birdhouse!) and made many batches of cookies.

We didn’t make it to Brookfield Zoo, Breakfast with Santa at Chicago Botanic Garden, Lincoln Park Zoo or Christkindlmarket this month. Those events had been on my radar, but we just couldn’t make them happen this year. We aren’t fully adjusted to being a family of four and chose to make things easier for ourselves. My hope is that next year we will have more energy and have things more figured out. We did make it on the CTA Holiday Train, though, despite a little mishap. It’s one of our favorite family traditions.

Addi was able to meet Santa a couple of weeks ago. She stared at him and seemed puzzled by the strange man holding her, but at least she didn’t cry!

I wasn’t sure what to put in Addi’s stocking or what presents Santa should bring her at 8 months old. She ended up getting blocks, stackable rings, a fish toy, teethers, an Oball gift set, and a Fisher Price Laugh and Play Puppy. I also bought her a Cuddle + Kind doll, which provides 10 meals to children in need. V has a successful year and Santa brought her all the gifts on her wish list. (We allow her to make a list of five things she would like every year. We then purchase an additional gift(s) from us as her parents.) I saw a post around social media about the four-gift rule for children, and that seemed like a great idea and wonderful, but it’s not something we will do. We like to give our children whatever we would like to get them, and what the budget allows, and don’t think any parent should be shamed for their gifting choices. Whatever works for your family is best! Speaking of gifts, my wrapping was not that great this year. It’s a miracle that the wrapping even got done. ha!

A new tradition for us this year was matching Christmas pajamas, except my plans were foiled when the men’s sizes ran out weeks before, after I had already ordered the girls’ pajamas. I was hoping they would be restocked but they never were. I wasn’t able to find all of our sizes at any retailer that sold matching family pajamas. Next year I shall be on the ball and order them early!

Hope you had a wonderful holiday if you celebrate! What are your favorite traditions?

Related posts:

CTA Holiday Train 2018
Flora Family Cookie Day 2017

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Riding the 2018 CTA Holiday Train in Chicago

We continued our tradition of riding the CTA Holiday Train in the Chicago area this year. If you’re not from Chicago and have never heard of it, it’s a holiday-themed train that only runs on certain L Train lines at scheduled times. In 2016 and 2017 we caught the train on the Red Line, which runs north-south through the city. This year, we picked the Purple Line in Evanston because we live in the village next door.

The holiday train was set to stop at Central Station in Evanston at 5:38 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 21, so we left our house at 5:10 p.m. to give us enough time. We parked in a garage next to Evanston Hospital, where Addi was born, and walked over to the station. Several other parents with young kiddos were also waiting for the train with us. It was due to head north to Linden, the last stop on the Purple Line, before turning around and heading back south. We waiting until almost 6 p.m. when the delayed holiday train finally arrived. Addi was starting to get a bit impatient because she’s not used to being in a carrier much anymore and she wants to crawl around. V. too, was starting to lose her patience.

When the train got to our station, the excitement of seeing Santa through us off and we didn’t board in time! It was the biggest fail. The doors closed as I tried to walk on and we were left in disbelief. Luckily for us, the train came back about 10-15 minutes later and we boarded then! It was another short train ride, but one that V loves and remembers.

I recommend picking a couple of dates and times to ride the train to give you a backup plan in case something happens. It’s definitely worth the ride, because kids love it and the elves pass out candy canes and buttons. It’s so fun for them!

Have you been on the CTA Holiday Train?

Watch a video of our ride!

Related posts:

2016 CTA Holiday Train
2017 CTA Holiday Train

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Tips For Taking a Baby to a Baseball Game

I took 5-month-old A to her fourth baseball game at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night, and I have lost count how many games 4-year-old V has been to since joining our family. Most of the time I have gone to the games without my husband because he works during them. I’ve learned a thing or two about how to successfully attend a ballgame with two kids and still have a good time. The key is being prepared!

I’ve already shared my tips for taking a toddler to a baseball game, so I’m focusing now on my tips for taking a baby to a baseball game:

  • Invest in Hearmuffs. Noise-canceling hearing protection has been a lifesaver for me. It allows my baby to not get startled and she can even nap despite the cheering and yelling that goes on at the stadium.
  • Use a baby carrier. I have the Baby K-tan and I love it, but any baby carrier will do as long as you’ve tried it before and it’s comfortable. If your baby is young enough he or she will probably nap in it.
  • Dress appropriately. It rained during one of the games, so I made sure we had extra baby clothes and blankets. I also made sure to bring hats for all of us and a mini umbrella hat. (Umbrellas aren’t allowed but I have a giveaway umbrella hat that I would have used.)
  • Arrive late or leave early. I typically do either or both. I like to arrive at the ballpark after a couple of innings have passed so most people have taken their seats by then. I also try to leave early, depending on how the baby is doing, to beat the crowds and traffic.
  • Bring snacks and water (and milk/formula).
  • Look up the location of the family restroom(s) before you go.
  • Try to buy seats on an aisle for easy entry and exit. Also, if it’s a warm day/time of year, try to buy a seat under shade.
  • Stick to day games. We went to a night game and it was significantly more challenging, but doable.
  • Relax. Take your time and enjoy yourself!

Have you been to a sporting event with little ones? How did it go?

** This post contains an affiliate link. I am compensated for purchases made through this link at no additional cost to you. 

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Related post:

Taking My Toddler to a Game at Wrigley Field

 

Running a Half-Marathon Without Training | Chicago Half Marathon Recap

Note: Before I share my Chicago Half Marathon story, I want to advise against running a race without training. It is never a good idea. Even if you think you are in great shape, you put yourself at risk for injury. As always, you should consult a physician about what exercise/event is safe for you to do.

On Sunday, I awoke at 4:15 a.m. to get ready to run 13.1 miles in south Chicago during the Chicago Half Marathon. Some backstory: I had signed up for the spring Chicago Half Marathon in 2017. With V having recently joined our family, I was not in a routine and had no childcare lined up for the day of the race, so I deferred to 2018. I then didn’t run the fall half-marathon in 2017 because I was newly pregnant and had a fainting episode that week. I obviously didn’t run the spring half marathon again this year because I had just given birth. I contacted the registration team and asked if there was any way I could run the fall race instead this year, and they said that they normally don’t allow this but they made an exception for me. I was so grateful and thought surely I would be able to train at least a little during maternity leave. I even blogged about my postpartum fitness goals and said I would recap my training on the blog.

That did not happen.

Postpartum life was harder than I expected. I am fairly certain I was in a sort of depression for much of it and I didn’t feel like myself until A was at least 3 months old. I can count on one hand the number of times I ran outdoors. I went to about as many Soul Cycle classes, too. That obviously is not adequate training, especially after taking months off running during pregnancy.

But I wanted to run the half-marathon anyway. I wanted to do it for myself. I miss running. I used to do it several times a week, and it was a major focus of this blog. I would share weekly recaps of my training along with tips I learned along the way. The time I spent on the Chicago Lakefront path was like my therapy as I am an introvert who needs this time for herself. I miss that so much! Not having any time for myself postbaby is likely what caused my postbaby blues to last longer than many people say they typically last. So even though I wasn’t really ready, I didn’t want to skip this race yet again.

The day before the race, I was 50 percent sure I would do it. I debated changing to the 5K at the last minute. But then Graham told me he took the day off and I picked up my packet with the girls. V kept saying that I was going to “win” the race and get a medal. I didn’t want to disappoint her.

When I went to bed that night, I was still unsure. I decided that if the baby woke up multiple times at night (like she did the night before), I would not run. Lucky for me, she went to sleep at 7:30 p.m. I went to bed at 9 sharp. She woke me up once around midnight and then not again until 5:15 a.m. when we left for the race. I couldn’t use lack of sleep as an excuse.

The Chicago Half Marathon

As I stepped into the corral, I was proud to have at least made it. I figured that if it was absolutely horrible I could call Graham and then leave the course, though I could never imagine myself doing that.  I knew I wanted to jog as slowly as possible and that I would probably walk some of the race. I maintained about a 12 and a half minute mile pace throughout much of the course. By comparison, I ran this same course in 2016 at a 9:30ish pace for most of the race. I felt fine, so I didn’t even try to go faster. I only walked while crossing over two bridges, because they were on a little bit of a hill. (I listened to this playlist.) It was quite something to listen to Chance the Rapper while running through the streets of Chicago, I have to say.

And I did it! I completed the Chicago Half Marathon in my slowest time ever for 13.1 miles, which is to be expected. But it wasn’t about the time for me. It was about following through with a commitment I made to myself to get back to running. It was about showing 4-year-old V, who kept saying she was proud of me, that you can do what you put your mind to. It was also about not letting all my excuses win. And trust me, I have a lot of excuses.

I’m glad I did it. Sure, my legs are still super sore, but it felt so good to be out there. I would do it again (in the same unique situation) in a heartbeat.

Half-Marathon highlights:

  • The expo was held at the Roosevelt Collection center this year. I liked this location vs. Soldier Field because it was easier for me to get to from where I now live. Plus, parking was free for two hours with validation, which was offered at Fleet Feet. I was going to purchase energy gels there anyway, so that worked out. (In the past, I had to pay to park at the Soldier Field garage just to pick up my packet.)
  • The medal was as awesome as ever. The Chicago Half Marathon is known for large, well-designed medals.
  • The volunteers were amazing!
  • Your bib comes with a ticket for a beer and pizza.
  • I love the view when you turn to go north on the course around Mile 3 or so.

 

 

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Related posts:

Chicago Half Marathon 2016 Recap
Chicago Marathon 2016 Recap

A Date Night to Remember With Johnnyswim

 

Graham and I don’t get many date nights. The last time we spent an entire evening to ourselves was on Valentine’s Day. Last weekend’s date to the Need to Breathe concert, for which Johnnyswim was opening, was a much needed night out for us and one that we looked forward to since I bought the tickets in March. If you have read this blog for a while, you know that we LOVE Johnnyswim’s music. I discovered them in 2013 when the duo were one of VH1’s You Oughta Know artists. At the same I worked at a newspaper and had mornings off to watch music videos before getting ready for the day. We have seen them live four times now: At the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, at the Space in Evanston, at the Vic Theatre in Chicago and now at the Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island.

It might make some people shake their heads, but we only went to the show for Johnnyswim. Seriously. We also booked the meet and greet VIP package because we knew they wouldn’t be playing for as long as the other times we’ve seen them, and we wanted more time with them. We had previously met them in Phoenix (for free) but this was worth it to us because it’s not like we get date often!

The show was set to start at 7 p.m. with Forest Blakk, and the meet the greet was scheduled to begin at 4:50. We arrived at 4:55 after rushing through Chicago traffic; it took us an hour to get there! We made it, though, and after security we waited for about 10 minutes to be escorted to the general admission pit area, where we would be taking photos with them. Then we waited another 15 or so minutes, but I figured this would happen, and we weren’t mad at all.

We took our opportunity to talk to them about Adelina, seeing them live, giving birth at about the same time (Amanda had their baby girl in April, too.) and about Graham’s job. They were as lovely as ever. After a few minutes of conversation, we said goodbye. It was a short but awesome encounter.

At 7, Forest Blakk took the stage. I had never heard of him, but I enjoyed the songs he played for us. I suggest checking him out!

Johnnyswim’s set was also much shorter than when we have seen them in the past, but again, they weren’t the headliners, so we expected that. We were just grateful for our night out together and to hear them live again.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, they are amazing live. If you have a chance to see them in your area, do it! You can thank me later.

See Johnnyswim Live:

Johnnyswim Tour

Related posts:

Johnnyswim at the MIM
Johnnyswim at the Space
Johnnyswim at Vic Theatre

Why Brookfield Zoo Is Worth A Visit

There are certain Chicago area spots that are worth repeat visits. For us, Brookfield Zoo is one of them.

You don’t need to have children to enjoy a day at Brookfield Zoo. In fact, we often see adults roaming the grounds with a beer in hand and not a worry about keeping a kiddo entertained. My brother- and sister-in-law visited over Labor Day weekend and Graham and I thought we might have some fun at Brookfield Zoo. Especially on a holiday weekend, it’s a good idea to visit an attraction with lots of space vs. a crowded site like Millennium Park or Sears Tower.

It was their first time meeting Addi, and they missed Miss V, so we were so happy they could spend so much time with them on a beautiful summer day.

Ashley just started a blog about fertility.

 

Despite all the talk about fall lately, Chicago weather hasn’t gotten the memo. It’s still quite warm and humid, if I do say so myself as an Arizonan. We packed up a wagon, a stroller and a cooler bag full of snacks and drinks and make the trek to Brookfield. For our tickets we chose to build our own, and our three attractions were the dolphin show, the Butterflies! exhibit and Wild Encounters.

It was also Addi’s first time at Brookfield Zoo, not counting the time I went while I was pregnant, of course. We spent a solid six hours at the zoo, yet we didn’t make it to all three of our attractions. That’s something to consider when planning a visit: You might not have time for everything unless you are a fast walker! We took our time, had lunch at a cafe and let Victoria play in a fountain. It was a blast!

This peacock was making a run for it!

Who knew there was such a thing as a sloth bear?

Have you been to Brookfield Zoo? What’s your favorite local attraction in your city? Let me know in the comments!

Watch a video of our Brookfield Zoo visit:

Related posts:

Dinos & Dragons at Brookfield Zoo
First Visit to Brookfield Zoo

 

 

Flora Family Photo Session

** This post contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise!

Graham and I have a tradition of taking photos around the time of our wedding anniversary to document our life together. It’s been so fun to capture the changes to our family: Over the past four years we’ve gone from just the two of us to a family of four. We have chosen to be photographed by Abigail Joyce Photography of the Chicago metro area for three of the past four anniversaries now. I love the style of her photos and she is really good with kiddos! We recently had our session in Elmhurst at a beautiful park that Abigail loves. I could immediately see why she shoots sessions there.

I chose our outfits based on a chambray toddler dress I saw at Target for V. Addi had a Carter’s chambray heart romper that matched it, and then we bought a similar-color Tommy Hilfiger shirt for Graham to wear so that our outfits all tied together. I paired her little romper with gold moccasins, but we also took those off for some shots because baby toes are the cutest. I wore a floral dress I purchased for Mother’s Day but never wore. (It’s no longer available, but it’s from the brand Xhilaration. My shoes are block heels by the brand A New Day.) I think our outfits looked nice together, if I do say so myself.

We posed near a gorgeous weeping willow tree that I adored, as well as a pond. I am in love with the scenery and the photos Abigail captured! These are special because they are the first professional photos we have of us with our girls.

 

 

As I have written about before, I highly recommend Abigail Joyce Photography if you’re looking for a couples, family, newborn or maternity photography in the Chicago area.

Do you take photos with your partner or family every year?

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Chambray Toddler Dress

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Infant Chambray Heart Romper
This romper is under $6!

Related posts:

My maternity session with Abigail Joyce Photography
OUR FIRST ANNIVERSARY PHOTOS
OUR LITTLE SECRET

ABOUT ABIGAIL:

Abigail is a Chicago based newborn photographer specializing in newborn photography, maternity photography, and children’s portraits. She meets with clients both on location or in-home, as well as her studio in Westchester, Illinois. She plans to open a studio in Oak Park.

Note: This post was not sponsored.

 

 

Summer Stroll at the Chicago Botanic Garden

 

 

If you’re ever going through a stressful time, a walk around the Chicago Botanic Garden might be in order. I was overwhelmed and emotional recently, and I finally asked for help. My mother-in-law drove to Chicago to spend a week with us helping in any way she could. And boy did she help. She worked on our yard. She took the girls to the park so I could get work done or shower. She helped feed and take care of both of them. She helped Graham empty and clean our old apartment so he could turn over the keys. And most importantly she was there for us as emotional support. On one of her last days here we decided to thank her with a trip to the Chicago Botanic Garden. She is a garden and nature lover (It runs in the Flora family!), so we knew she would be in heaven.

 

It happened to be the most perfect summer day for a family walk. I had only ever visited the garden during the fall and I enjoyed seeing it in a different yet just as colorful season. Lately I have been gathering ideas from all sorts of sources on how to update my front and back yards as well as my home. The Chicago Botanic Garden is the perfect place to get that inspiration.

I felt right at home in the cactus greenhouse, one of several greenhouses at the garden. V, who is herself an Arizona girl like me, was right at home, too.

I fit right in walking around another greenhouse with my palm print shorts.

We had lunch at the cafe in between exploring Chicago Botanic Garden. I gobbled up a garden burger in 10 seconds flat. It was delicious!

We let the garden paths led us around to our next discovery. V wanted to carry around our map, which we didn’t really use. After walking around for what seemed like miles, we made a pit stop in the gift shop, where my sweet mother-in-law bought us a pineapple plant to add to our collection. She really is an angel.

 

I think after this visit the garden became my favorite place in the Chicago area. Honestly, I could share about a hundred more photos of this place, but you should really just experience it for yourself. And lucky for me we liver closer to it now that we bought our home.

Chicago Botanic Garden has free admission but parking is $20 or more. It’s definitely worth it!

Have you been to the Chicago Botanic Garden?

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Related posts:

Night of 1,000 Jack-O’-Lanterns
Fall at Chicago Botanic Garden

 

Free in Chicago: Lincoln Park Zoo and Conservatory

I’ve wanted to visit Lincoln Park Conservatory since we moved to Chicago three and a half years ago, but I didn’t make it until this summer. My cousins visited for a week recently and I thought they’d enjoy Lincoln Park Zoo.

The Lincoln Park Zoo and the Lincoln Park Conservatory are both free. I would suggest both to visitors and locals looking for affordable things to do in Chicago, especially for families. You can pack lunches and enjoy your food just about anywhere, and you can save by either taking public transit or using SpotHero to find a lower-cost parking spot nearby. (Parking at the zoo is a bit expensive at $20-$35.) Use my SpotHero link and you can get a $7 credit!

There are upgrades happening at the zoo right now, including improvements to the lion enclosure. It was a 90-degree and humid day, so after strolling along and enjoying shaved ice, I suggested going into the conservatory for some shade.

I could have spent a lot longer wandering around the conservatory and the zoo if it weren’t too warm for the baby to be outside that long. I suggest that you have kiddos in strollers you bring a clip-on fan and plenty of sun protection during the summer. We took many breaks in the shade, too.

The conservatory is beautiful and peaceful.

You can find plenty of picnic and photo opportunities outside of the Lincoln Park Conservatory, too! I love finding new views of the city that I haven’t seen before.

 

Have you visited the Lincoln Park Zoo or Conservatory? Add it to your Chicago list!

Related posts:

Lincoln Park Zoo Visit

Lincoln Park Zoo, Take 2

Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago

 

 

Life Update: Our New Home

 

We Bought A House

The past few months have been huge for us. In addition to welcoming Addi to our family, we also closed on our house last week!

Our apartment lease runs through July, so we can take our time to move. That’s nice because it’s been difficult finding the time to pack. Slowly but surely we will get it done, though.

We wanted a home that we could update to make our own. We need to do some upgrades to make the house what we want, but we are excited to put in the sweat equity. The kitchen needs to be completely redone, so that will be our first project. I’m also pumped to have more space, especially a garage and driveway! After three years of having to find a parking spot on the street in Chicago, I am thrilled to not have to do that anymore, even if it means moving just outside Chicago city limits. The neighborhood is perfect because it is next to a shopping center with some of my favorite retailers, plus a cycle bar and a yoga studio! It doesn’t get better than that!

Searching for a home in the Chicago area was a bit challenging because homes move quickly and often receive multiple offers if they are a good deal or updated. The home we ended up buying had been on the market for a long time and needs some work. The seller had turned down higher offers than ours due to an emotional attachment to the house, but I wrote her a letter assuring her that we wanted this to be our family’s home and we are excited to make memories there. We are so happy she accepted and we feel the negotiation process was fair.

Would you be interested in home renovation updates and a house tour? Let me know in the comments!

 

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